U.S. patent number 5,751,493 [Application Number 08/806,886] was granted by the patent office on 1998-05-12 for head-mounted display apparatus with a single image display device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Se-Hurn Hur.
United States Patent |
5,751,493 |
Hur |
May 12, 1998 |
Head-mounted display apparatus with a single image display
device
Abstract
A head-mounted display apparatus comprises an image display
device for displaying images, a first beam splitter for partially
transmitting and partially reflecting light from the image display
device, a second beam splitter for partially transmitting and
partially reflecting the light transmitted by the first beam
splitter, and a first and a second concave reflection mirrors. The
image display device, disposed on the right side of an observer,
displays images on the basis of video signals from a video signal
source. The first and the second beam splitters are disposed in
front of the right and the left eyes of the observer, respectively.
The first and the second concave reflection mirrors are disposed on
the reflection side of the first and the second beam splitter, and
reflect the light therefrom to the right and the left eyes of the
observer, respectively. The head-mounted display apparatus of the
present invention can also provide a stereoscopic vision by
displaying images on the image display device on the basis of the
principle of binocular parallax.
Inventors: |
Hur; Se-Hurn (Seoul,
KR) |
Assignee: |
Daewoo Electronics Co., Ltd.
(KR)
|
Family
ID: |
26632274 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/806,886 |
Filed: |
February 25, 1997 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 15, 1996 [KR] |
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96-54562 |
Nov 15, 1996 [KR] |
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96-54563 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
359/630; 359/631;
348/E13.071; 348/E13.022; 348/E13.059; 348/E13.041; 348/E13.04 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
13/341 (20180501); H04N 13/398 (20180501); G02B
27/017 (20130101); G02B 30/24 (20200101); G02B
27/0172 (20130101); H04N 13/344 (20180501); G02B
2027/0178 (20130101); H04N 13/189 (20180501); H04N
13/194 (20180501); H04N 13/286 (20180501); G02B
2027/0136 (20130101); G02B 2027/0132 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04N
13/00 (20060101); G02B 27/01 (20060101); G02B
27/22 (20060101); G02B 027/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;359/630,631,633
;345/7,8 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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2261804 |
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Oct 1992 |
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GB |
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9510106 |
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Apr 1995 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Epps; Georgia Y.
Assistant Examiner: Mack; Ricky
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:
an image display device for displaying images;
a first beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting light from the image display device in proportion of
3:1;
a second beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting the light transmitted by the first beam splitter in
proportion of 1:1; and
a first and a second concave reflection mirrors for reflecting the
light reflected by the first and the second beam splitters to one
eye and the other eye of an observer, respectively.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means for allowing
the images displayed on the image display device to be viewed from
outside.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for allowing the
images to be viewed from the outside includes a lens which is
disposed in such a way that the light from the second beam splitter
is transmitted therethrough to the outside.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein a shutter is disposed in front
of the lens so that the images displayed the image display device
is selectively viewed from the outside by opening or closing the
shutter.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a first and a
second shutter glasses disposed between the first beam splitter and
one eye of the observer and between the second beam splitter and
the other eye of the observer, respectively, wherein the image
display device alternately displays right-eye and left-eye images
photographed from different angles, and the first and the second
shutter glasses, synchronized with the right-eye and the left-eye
images displayed on the image display device, become alternately
clear and cloudy so that the observer is able to see three
dimensional images.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light from the image
display device in proportion of 3:1, and the second beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light transmitted by
the first beam splitter in proportion of 1:1, thereby allowing the
same amount of light to enter the eyes of the observer.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising means for allowing
the images displayed on the image display device to be viewed from
outside.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for allowing the
images to be viewed from the outside includes a lens which is
disposed in such a way that the light from the second beam splitter
is transmitted therethrough to the outside.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein a shutter is disposed in front
of the lens so that the images displayed the image display device
is selectively viewed from the outside by opening or closing the
shutter.
10. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:
an image display device for displaying images;
a first beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting light from the image display device;
a second beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting the light transmitted by the first beam splitter;
a first and a second concave reflection mirrors for reflecting the
light reflected by the first and the second beam splitters to one
eye and the other eye of an observer, respectively;
a lens disposed in such a way that the light from the second beam
splitter is transmitted therethrough to outside, the lens allowing
the images displayed on the image display device to be viewed from
the outside; and
a shutter disposed in front of the lens so that the images
displayed on the image display device is selectively viewed from
the outside by opening or closing the shutter.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light from the image
display device in proportion of 3:1, and the second beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light transmitted by
the first beam splitter in proportion of 1:1, thereby allowing the
same amount of light to enter the eyes of the observer.
12. A head-mounted display apparatus comprising:
an image display device for displaying images;
a first beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting light from the image display device;
a second beam splitter for partially transmitting and partially
reflecting the light transmitted by the first beam splitter;
a first and a second concave reflection mirrors for reflecting the
light reflected by the first and the second beam splitters to one
eye and the other eye of an observer, respectively; and
a first and a second shutter glasses disposed between the first
beam splitter and one eye of the observer and between the second
beam splitter and the other eye of the observer, respectively,
wherein the image display device alternately displays right-eye and
left-eye images photographed from different angles, and the first
and the second shutter glasses, synchronized with the right-eye and
the left-eye images displayed on the image display device, become
alternately clear and cloudy to allow the observer to see three
dimensional images.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the first beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light from the image
display device in proportion of 3:1, and the second beam splitter
partially transmits and partially reflects the light transmitted by
the first beam splitter in proportion of 1:1, thereby allowing the
same amount of light to enter the eyes of the observer.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for
allowing the images displayed on the image display device to be
viewed from outside.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the means for allowing the
images to be viewed from the outside includes a lens which is
disposed in such a way that the light from the second beam splitter
is transmitted therethrough to the outside.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a shutter is disposed in
front of the lens so that the images displayed on the image display
device is selectively viewed from the outside by opening or closing
the shutter.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a head-mounted display apparatus;
and, more particularly, to a head-mounted display apparatus
incorporating therein a single image display device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
There is shown in FIG. 1 a schematic diagram of a conventional
head-mounted display apparatus comprising a pair of image display
devices 1, 2, e.g., liquid crystal displays, and a pair of
magnifying lenses 3, 4.
The image display devices 1, 2, disposed in front of left and right
eyes 5, 6 of an observer, respectively, are connected to a video
signal source (not shown) and display images on the basis of video
signals therefrom.
The magnifying lenses 3, 4 are positioned between the left image
display device 1 and the left eye 5 and between the right image
display device 2 and the right eye 6, respectively, thereby
enabling the observer to see enlarged virtual images formed at a
certain distance from the eyes 5, 6.
However, such a conventional head-mounted display apparatus is
fairly heavy, making it burdensome on the observer's head, as a
result of the presence of two image display devices. In addition,
there exists a complicated circuit for transmitting the video
signals to the individual image display device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, a primary object of the invention to provide a
head-mounted display apparatus having a reduced weight and a
simplified circuit network by incorporating therein a single image
display device.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a head-mounted display apparatus comprising: an image
display device for displaying images; a first beam splitter for
partially transmitting and partially reflecting light from the
image display device; a second beam splitter for partially
transmitting and partially reflecting the light transmitted by the
first beam splitter; and a first and a second concave reflection
mirrors for reflecting the light reflected by the first and the
second beam splitters to one eye and the other eye of an observer,
respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and features of the present invention
will become apparent from the following description of preferred
embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a conventional head-mounted
display apparatus;
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a schematic diagram and a schematic
perspective view of a head-mounted display apparatus in accordance
with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, respectively;
and
FIGS. 4 and 5 present a schematic diagram and a schematic
perspective view of a head-mounted display apparatus in accordance
with another preferred embodiment of the present invention,
respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
There are respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 a schematic diagram
and a schematic perspective view of a head-mounted display
apparatus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present
invention. The head-mounted display apparatus of the first
preferred embodiment comprises an image display device 11, e.g., a
liquid crystal display or cathode ray tube, a first beam splitter
12 for partially transmitting and partially reflecting light from
the image display device 11 in proportion of 3:1, a second beam
splitter 13 for partially transmitting and partially reflecting the
light transmitted by the first beam splitter 12 in proportion of
1:1, and a first and a second concave reflection mirrors 14,
15.
The image display device 11, disposed on, e.g., the right side of
an observer, is connected to a video signal source (not shown) such
as a personal computer, a video cassette recorder, a laser disc
player, etc., and displays images on the basis of video signals
therefrom.
The first and the second beam splitters 12, 13 are disposed in
front of right and left eyes 16, 17 of the observer, respectively.
The first beam splitter 12 transmits 75% of the light from the
image display device 11 to the second beam splitter 13 and reflects
25% of the light from the image display device 11 to the first
concave reflection mirror 14. Then, 75% of the light from the first
concave reflection mirror 14, i.e., 18.75% of the light from the
image display device 11, is transmitted through the first beam
splitter 12 to the right eye 16. On the other hand, the second beam
splitter 13 reflects 50% of the light from the first beam splitter
12 to the second concave reflection mirror 15 and transmits the
rest of the light. Then, 50% of the light from the second concave
reflection mirror 15, i.e., 18.75% of the light from the image
display device 11, is transmitted through the second beam splitter
13 to the left eye 17. In this way, the same amount of light enters
both eyes 16, 17.
Disposed on the opposite side of the image display device 11 is a
convex lens 21 which transmits the light from the second beam
splitter 13 to outside, thereby allowing the images displayed on
the image display device 11 to be viewed from the outside. In
addition, a shutter 22 is disposed in front of the convex lens 21
in the direction of transmission through the second beam splitter
13 so that the images displayed on the image display device 11 are
selectively viewed from the outside by opening or closing the
shutter 22. It is appreciated that the shutter 22 may be disposed
behind the convex lens 21.
The head-mounted display apparatus of the present invention can
also provide a stereoscopic vision by displaying images on the
image display device on the basis of the principle of binocular
parallax.
There are respectively shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 a schematic diagram
and a schematic perspective view of a head-mounted display
apparatus in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the
present invention, which provides a stereoscopic vision. The
head-mounted display apparatus of the second preferred embodiment,
as compared with the first, further comprises a first and a second
shutter glasses 218, 219 disposed between the first beam splitter
12 and the right eye 16 and between the second beam splitter 13 and
the left eye 17, respectively, wherein the image display device 11
alternately displays right-eye and left-eye images photographed
from two different directions or angles.
The first and the second shutter glasses 218, 219, synchronized
with the right-eye and the left-eye images displayed on the image
display device 11, become alternately clear and cloudy so that the
observer is able to see three dimensional images. The shutter
glasses 218, 219 are made of a liquid crystal material, and
disclosed in detail in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,907,860 and 5,539,423,
which are incorporated herein by reference.
In such head-mounted display apparatus of the present invention,
since only one image display device is required, the weight thereof
is decreased, thereby reducing the degree of burden on the
observer's head. In addition, the circuit for transmitting the
image signals becomes simplified.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to
the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled
in the art that various changes and modifications may be made
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined in the following claims.
* * * * *